Stories of Service

"We are thinking about the things we may each do in our own small way to bring about prosperity and peace throughout the world. Everything we can do toward this end will be a service rendered to mankind."

Thomas J. Watson, Sr.

FOUNDER OF IBM

Business Machines magazine

September, 1930

During the Celebration of Service, IBM volunteers, in unprecedented numbers, made history by sharing their time, skills and expertise at schools and community organizations worldwide.

Read the first story of success which is a compilation of volunteer activities that were conducted on IBM's Celebration of Service Day, June 15, 2011. The numbers grew to more than 300,000 IBMers in 120 countries logging over 3 million hours on over 5,000 projects. Read about the impact that some of the volunteers made.

All Stories

IBM volunteers make history during the company’s Celebration of Service

IBM volunteers, including senior executives, make significant impact during the Celebration of Service day on June 15

Building a sustainable future

IBM employees used the Mission Innovation Activity Kit to explore issues of sustainability with more than 1,300 students in 40 schools throughout Bogotá and Medellín, and to brainstorm ways to build a smarter planet.

All Kids Get a Chance to “Go Green”

IBM employees are working with orphans at the Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Home in Malaysia as part of a year long project that is teaching kids about issues of sustainability, as well as providing them with computers so they can continue their own “green” education.

What you give is what you get back—lessons in sustainability and life

At the Mount Kisco Child Care Center in the United States, IBM volunteers are combining the center’s commitment to children with a physical environment and curriculum that emphasizes productive harmony with their surroundings.

Small charities benefit from big business expertise

IBM volunteers in the UK have been sharing their knowledge and years of business acumen with small charities, through an organization called the Small Charities Coalition (SCC), in an effort to round out the skills and capabilities of local not-for-profits.

Cash? Maybe. Sustainable healthcare and education? Definitely.

Instead of just making a contribution for a hospital in Sierra Leone in West Africa, Gert Kroon, a manager with IBM Netherlands, developed a project that has led to sustainable solutions in healthcare and education.

Day of Caring in Philippines leads to ongoing relationship

In search of an ideal volunteer project as part of their Centennial Celebration of Service, IBM employees in Manila embraced the "Kariton Klasrum" (Pushcart Classroom) program to help bring education to the community’s most impoverished youngsters.

Watts on the rooftop?

In a massive, two-day volunteer effort that began during the IBM Celebration of Service Day, 120 IBM volunteers, lead by Jia (Violet) Le, helped install six solar electric systems for low-income families in California.

Growing a flowering nonprofit

Mati Higuchi found a local nonprofit that helps children and families living in squalor. However, the community’s increasing needs means the organization must grow its capacity to continue being effective—Mati and IBM Catalyst grant are helping.

IT’s a Suitcase!

Environmental stewards in the making

Paranee Reymondon decided that teaching kids about their land was the best way to protect the ecosystem. With a local nature center, and other IBM volunteers, Paranee is inspiring future environmental stewards.

Red Noses Make Cancer a Laughing Matter

Studies have shown that laughter reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort. While it won’t cure cancer, it may aid in healing. IBM IT specialist José Carlos Izaguirre Zavala and others wear red noses to bring smiles to young cancer patients.

Bringing Technology to the Elderly and Displaced

IBM employee Sinko Choy is working with the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals to help bridge the digital divide and give access to digitally displaced elderly and mentally handicapped members of Hong Kong society.

Keeping Safe Online

IBM employee Duong Kieu Oanh partnered with the Center for Research Family Health and Community (CEFACOM) to develop an Internet Safety Education curriculum to equip students with the skills and ability to identify potential risks from Internet.

One father’s gratitude leads to 150+ volunteers

IBM Brazil executive Marcelo Zuccas expresses gratitude for daughter’s recovery by volunteering to help families with disabled children and inspires over 150 IBM colleagues to volunteer for the same non-profit organization.

Easing the journey from refugee to healthy citizen

Millions of people around the world have fled their countries for various reasons and sought refuge in welcoming nations. Bahram Maghsoudi volunteered for one year at an agency dedicated to helping refugees resettle in Connecticut.

Grant helps people with disabilities expand computer re-use program

With support from a Catalyst Grant, Steve Kann was joined by more than 50 volunteers on IBM’s Celebration of Service Day to expand Ability Building Center’s computer refurbishing program and increase the work hours of people with disabilities.

Robo-therapy

Since 2005, Gonzalo Cerda has used a LEGO® robotics competition to help Chilean children with cancer find a creative outlet during their treatment. Gonzalo and Fundación Nuestros Hijos received an IBM Catalyst Grant which supported the team in the 2011 contest.

Cowabunga! Silver surfers jump into virtual waters

In the U.K., three out of five people over 65 years have never been online. Colin Crook has organized volunteers throughout 2011 to participate in Digital Unite’s “Silver Surfers” campaign to introduce the Internet to as many older people as possible.In the UK, Colin Crook and Digital Unite use IBM grant to help seniors get online

Thinking back to think forward

Paul Digweed wanted to show schoolchildren the possibilities available in business and technology, so he created a 10-week program for a local primary school that explores the impacts of technology on humankind.

A passion to serve those who serve their country

IBM has more American Corporate Partner volunteers supporting veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan than any other corporation, and four of them have been declared ACP Mentors of the Month for August 2011.

Measuring impact

Measuring results is vital for a not-for-profit, but measuring outcomes is better since they illustrate the change an organization wants to make. IBM consultant and volunteer Christian Schoen helped the Council on Aging in Michigan realize that outcomes are a more accurate way of showing success.

Art as therapy

Privacy is more than just keeping your data safe

In Germany, IBM volunteers are teaching kids about the importance of their online presence and how to take advantage of – and manage – new media while also addressing privacy concerns with lessons that are relevant to teenagers.

Getting up from the desk and out into the community

While on vacation, Carlos Aiello discovers a home for abused and abandoned boys and makes a commitment to volunteering there twice a month, even though the boys’ home is more than 152 miles from his own.

Helping India’s neediest children

A volunteer in motion stays in motion

Starting as a volunteer during Engineers Week activities in Connecticut, IBM project manager Chris Zack has kept the momentum going by leading activities for children at a local science center, at a high school designed for math and science students, and at his son’s elementary school.

Kids go green

To celebrate the IBM centennial day of service, Brenda Cavero, an IBM employee earlier recognized for volunteerism, led a team of volunteers in teaching environmental practices to students at the Buena Esperanza School in Lima, Peru.

Creativity and thinking big leads to big results in Canada

Working in partnership with Destination ImagiNation, Inc. (DI), IBM employees, Tyler Sparks-Austin and Judy Wityszyn, help create a volunteer opportunity to spur Canadian students to think more creatively

Modern techniques to tackle an old foe

In Luján, Argentina, Silvana Gonzalez was inspired by her mother’s two-time victory over cancer. Joining an organization, ALLCEC, in its mission to teach the community about cancer prevention, Silvana is showing them how social media can expand their reach and raise awareness.

A deep commitment to volunteerism in Turkey

On Demand Community Excellence Award winner Derya Sel’s dedication to community work is a great example of skills-based volunteerism that is making a big contribution to the future success and prosperity of many people in Turkey.

Technology helps connect disadvantaged teens with mentors

Inspiration from afar gives hope to underprivileged children

While on sabbatical from IBM, teaching in a remote region of India, Arindam Bhattacharyya resolved that connecting children in Kolkata with his business colleagues could have a positive impact. Today the Computer Literacy Program is IBM’s longest continuously running social outreach effort in Kolkata.

Turning weakness into strength and then into gifts

For twenty-five years, Anthony Hall, an IBM senior technical staff member, has volunteered at North Carolina State University serving on numerous boards; he led the project to fund a multi-million dollar center to prepare future educators. Along the way, Anthony overcame his own learning obstacles.

Using keyboard(s) to change lives

New to volunteering, IBM employee makes it a commitment

Three years ago Carol Ferreira was unsure what it took to be a volunteer, but after joining a service team in its project with a Brazilian AIDS center, she felt the joy of helping others. Today Carol continues as a volunteer at the Corsini Center in Campinas, Brazil helping them care for AIDS patients.

Protecting an entire community’s water

Using the power of community to fight crime

A project manager with IBM Global Business Services understands personally what South Africa’s high crime rate means and begins volunteering for the Community Police Forum, a program initiated by local communities that has yielded fantastic results.

Breaking the sound of silence

Rina Rahmadi, an IBM professional in Indonesia, did not know what to do when she discovered her son was hearing impaired. Through self-learning she helped her son develop the ability to speak, and has created a foundation to help other parents deal with their child’s hearing impairment.

Saving the natural world one acre at a time

IBM retiree Peggy Hill Holton found her next “career” as a volunteer with the Norwalk Land Trust. The land trust works to balance nature and development by acquiring land and preserving it in its natural state.

Creators of opportunities

When Macarena Valero got an email inviting her to be a mentor she didn’t realize it would change her life. Three years later, Macarena and an IBM teammate, Mario Mañan, are helping children at the Colegio Cardenal Caro school near Santiago, Chile see possibilities for the future.

Self-sufficiency spoken here

IBM teammates Caroline Fabre and Olivier Chamberaud use their skills and passion to create an online French language course, based on everyday life situations, to help immigrants to France develop the language skills they will need to thrive in their new country.

A new flavor of volunteerism in Japan

A new flavor of volunteerism is emerging in the consulting services community of IBM Japan, Inc. It’s called “The IBM Pro Bono Project,” helping nonprofits by making the best possible use of IBM employees’ unique project management and financial planning skills.

Women need apply

Young women still do not think about technology as a career path as much as boys. Grace Brown, an IBM leadership development manager and chemical engineer, is showing girls that technical careers might be much more interesting and accessible than they imagined.

Giveback to get back, and also to gain life credit

Project managers seeking certification at IBM need to deliver something called “giveback.” IBM employee Kimberly Schmid and a colleague determine that giveback can take the form of community service and now lead an approach that promotes volunteerism.

A high-speed, high-powered job search

IBM’s top volunteers help change the world

IBM volunteers from India, Japan, Peru, Spain, Turkey and the United States receive the On Demand Community Excellence Award and exemplify the IBM values of dedication, innovation and trust through their volunteer efforts.

IBM executives in Austria lead by example

Several IBM executives in Austria lead volunteer activities focused on education using resources from IBM’s On Demand Community; more than 400 fellow IBM employees in Austria join them in helping to make a difference.

Doing double duty

Building a Smarter Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is home to over 4,000 IBM employees, many of whom decided to make a difference in their community. Using the web to introduce people in surrounding neighborhoods to businesses, everybody benefits from the stronger, smarter relationship.

Getting from good to great

A Toronto-based IBM employee donates her time as board Chair of Greenest City, a not-for-profit that inspires people to build healthy neighborhoods through community gardening and the celebration of food.

Planting seeds for change in Uganda

An IBM employee sets up a nonprofit organization to lift Ugandan farmers out of poverty by pioneering a new model that supports farmers by giving them risk-free credit so they can purchase seeds and other agricultural needs.

IBM volunteer helps young entrepreneurs in Hong Kong

IBM Retiree wins President’s Volunteer Service Award five years in a row

In the past five years, IBM Retiree Tom Trotter has volunteered over 5000 hours at 12 not-for-profit organizations. He has used many IBM Corporate Citizenship programs and has been recognized locally and nationally for his efforts.

Volunteers help preschool students and teachers become KidSmart

A team of IBM employees in Uruguay help preschool students in Uruguay overcome technology challenges by providing new computers, software, and training to help enhance and develop the cognitive activities of students.

IBM volunteer helps young students program robots for a "Mission to Mars"

IBM volunteer teaches programming (including robots!) to elementary school kids, tutors parents and teachers, and gets computers for an Italian school with the goal of improving education through technology and mentoring.

Leading a hometown YMCA to the big leagues

Dedicated Canadian IBM volunteer applies leadership and strategic planning skills to help local Saskatchewan YMCA triple membership, add new facilities and programs, as well as raise capital for future expansion.

Using social media to raise funds & change lives in Pakistan and Nepal

When natural disaster interrupts an IBM volunteer’s primary computer education mission in Pakistan and Nepal, he turns to social media to teach survival skills and gather donations to purchase lifesaving equipment.

IBM scientist creates extreme science makeover for minority students

Changing India one student at a time

Satish Puthanveedu, an IBM Financial Analyst, volunteers at the Government Boys High School in Chittur, giving his time, as well as money to the school, in order to give children living in poverty the chance at a better life.

Volunteers help with maritime communications for Baltic Sea region

The Baltic Sea Summit in Helsinki, Finland brought together government, business, and NGOs to a summit that joined together parties who are willing to contribute to the recovery of the Baltic Sea, the world’s most polluted sea.

Team creates method to deepen impact of future volunteers

Centro de Orientação ao Adolescente de Campinas, an NGO that assists juvenile offenders and their families, expanded and needed help with their IT infrastructure. A team of IBM volunteers integrated COMEC’s network and improved its data storage.

Canadians creating a stronger not-for-profit sector

IBMers in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and CentrePoint – who works to create a stronger not-for-profit sector through consulting, mentoring, and knowledge sharing – have partnered together to help not-for-profits learn better project management principals.

Volunteers and robotics competition help low-income children in Colombia

Volunteers from IBM have an annual LEGO® robotics competition in Colombia. The volunteers guide students in programming a LEGO robot to score points on a playing surface, creating innovative solutions to problems as part of their research project.

Software engineer volunteers his expertise and saves school thousands of Euros

Richard Metzger wanted to help the Theodor–Schutz Realschule with their school portfolio. Metzger developed an electronic content management system using an open source software, saving the school the costs of licenses and training.

Project managers share skills to rebuild Haiti

Five IBMers volunteered to teach project management to 39 Haitian professionals at the Wentworth Institute. Those “students” are home now, training others to restore services in a nation recovering from the worst natural disaster in its history.

Volunteer brings technology and passion to improve schools

Naveen Prathapaneni works in schools near Hyderabad with children from preschool to high school to introduce students to technology. He developed innovative and interactive learning exercises to aid teaching and learning for preschool students.

Volunteers connect students with overseas mentors

IBM employees on assignment in Brazil wanted to help Brazilian community, which has a unique Japanese emigrant history. They used MentorPlace to connect Brazilian students of Japanese descent with volunteers on the opposite side of the globe.

Solve a crime! Blast moon craters! Fly an airfoil! All in the name of science

Through the IBM On Demand Community volunteer program and TryScience, Wade Fode helped give students an understanding of how science impacts their lives. The program lets students and adults learn from each other using hands-on experiments.

Volunteers change lives in Romania

For Romanian children without parents, the Door Foundation's Mogosoaia Center outside Bucharest provides a warm haven and a good education. IBMer Mihaela Gotia works to ensure the youngsters have adult role models andready access to the Internet.

Volunteers from IBM help South African students prepare for the future

In South Africa, many students get only basics in mathematics, science and computers. IBMer Thandiwe Masuku has organized Saturday School lessons for Grade 10 students from Ivory Park Secondary School and Realogile High School in Alexandra.

Model rockets launch kids into science and math stratosphere

Udaya Visweswara's experiences in Indian schools left him with a desire to learn other practical aspects of science and mathematics. Visweswara introduces youngsters to everything from model rockets to the Vedic mathematics system.

Volunteers help American veterans transition to civilian careers

Amy Berk has never served in the United States Armed Forces, but through the American Corporate Partners mentoring program, Berk helped US Army Reserve Capt. Marci T. Hodge polish her resume and prepare for a civilian career.